The commission of evangelism is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Missions and evangelism are required simply because mankind has forgotten the purpose of his creation. Godís original purpose for mankind was to have a creation that would freely choose to worship Him. It is almost unnecessary to reiterate that mankind as a population has mostly failed in this endeavor. Had mankind remained faithful to Godís purpose, everyone would be worshiping God; however, because of sin, a distant gap formed between God and His creation. Christ came to earth to fill that gap by offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice for manís sin. "...for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world..." (John 12:47). Yet, in order for mankind to return to God, one must hear the message of the cross and believe. This is the purpose of missions and evangelism.

Purpose of Evangelism

With the completion of the Great Commission yet looming in the future of the Church, it is necessary to recognize that there is much work to be accomplished. However, before an individual or a local church body can grasp a zeal for missionary endeavors, they must recognize and understand the purpose of missions. This includes having an awareness of the what, why, who, where, when, and how of the Great Commission. Solomon writes, "Good understanding giveth favor..." (Proverbs 13:15). In order to be effective in the missions endeavors, we must have a good understanding of the impending missions work in the fields of harvest. Christís commission will be carried out in its entirety prior to His return to rapture the saints.

What is Evangelism?

Merriam-Websterís dictionary defines evangelism and missions as the act or an instance of sending. Furthermore, it is a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its faith or carry on humanitarian work designed to convert the un-churched or quicken the Christian faith. Missions involve the spreading of the true message of the Gospel along with the working of the true Spirit. The fundamental purpose of missions can be summarized in one word Ė go. Strongís Concordance suggests that the word go in the Great Commission originated from the Greek word poreuomai meaning to traverse by virtue of departing. Each of these verbs implies active association. Missionary and evangelistic undertakings are not passive ministries. They require dynamic participation by believers.

Interestingly, Merriam-Websterís dictionary proposes the meaning of traverse as to go or travel; it also means to go against or act in opposition to a particular adversary. Evangelistic ministry is simply one element in the Churchís war against Satanís forces. We are not fighting man in our attempt to win the lost; rather, we seek to reclaim the sinful humanity for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. Missions and evangelism should never be viewed as strictly an earthly matter because its fight resides in the spiritual realm. Therefore, the Church cannot afford to rely on earthly tactics when engaging in ministry.

Why Evangelism?

The answer to the rationale of why evangelism is necessary is simple. It is compulsory in order to fulfill Christís command. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:18-20). Prior to Christís ascension into Heaven, He instructed His disciples to begin missions ministry. During His earthly ministry Christ told His disciples that they were to be the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). In His absence the Church was to be the Body of Christ. Through the Church and the ministry of the disciples, the world would recognize that Christ has brought salvation to the sinful population of lost souls.

The concept of missions is not unique to the New Testament and grace dispensation. Throughout the history of the world, God has called a person or nation to be the icon of a holy and righteous lifestyle, as well as, an example of Godís governance. Under the law, Israel was formed as a people who covenanted unto God to perform "...all that the Lord hath spoken..." (Exodus 19:8). God would supply their needs; God would be their King. They would reap the benefits of Godís grace as they followed Him. However, most importantly, they would be the example of Godís sovereignty to the entire world. Likewise, today, the Church is to be the New Testament Israel. The Body of Christ is grounded in the faith, practice, government, and discipline of the Word. She, with Christís complete message and the Holy Ghostís anointing, is to be an example to the world of Godís autonomy.

Who Shall Evangelize?

The Great Commission is not silent on who should perform in the mission of the Church. Christ commanded "ye" to go! Every believer is expected to do his or her part in representing Christ to the world. Often, missions are associated with global missions. While global missions are frequently the primary focus of mission drives, it is essential that the community, county, and state missions not be overlooked. It is not feasible to think that all believers can or must actively participate in overseas missions; however, everybody can and should grasp the missionary concept of evangelism. Whether it is financial support, prayer support, or active local or global ministry, all believers have a place in the missions endeavor.

Where Must We Go?

Emphatically stated in the Great Commission, the Church is to take the gospel to all nations and peoples. "...God is no respecter of persons..." (Acts 10:34). The redemption of the cross was not limited to a specific social class, age group, ethnic group, or era of time. Ultimately, it is Godís perfect will that all mankind accept salvation and freely choose to worship Him (1 Timothy 2:4); however, many will choose to accept His permissive will and will inherit eternal damnation. The Church, as the bearer of the Light, must not cease to minister to all people Ė both those who desire to hear the message and those who do not. It is not our place to determine who does and does not have the opportunity to hear the message; we, simply, must bear the message.

When Must We Go?

This commission did not cease at the close of the discipleís era. It is a commission which knows no timetable. There is no better time to begin evangelism than now. Daily, people encounter their eternal destiny while remaining in a lost condition. While that is their freedom of choice, the love and compassion for souls should burn so intensely within the Body of Christ that we should tremble at the idea of another soul slipping into Hell.

How Must We Go?

Upon completing this reading, we should recognize the importance and necessity of engaging in active missions and evangelistic outreach. The Scriptural foundation for missions has been laid before us. It is now our duty and responsibility to catch the zeal to aggressively engage ourselves in missions ministry.

The Great Commission represents a spiritual encounter. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds..." (2 Corinthians 10:4). Initially, human reasoning, knowledge, understanding, and opinion is not exclusively sufficient in preparing for a battle in the spiritual realm. The ways of mankind are carnal and not spiritual. Yet Christ commands us, as humans, to engage in this battle for souls. While the Church has a commission to be the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14), She cannot produce results of Herself. There must be a preparation of the spiritual in order to achieve qualitative and quantitative results in the spiritual realm. Let us pray that God would give us a renewed zeal and inspiration for souls!

Information contained on this page was adapted from Becoming a Global Believer: Understanding our Mission.